• Explain the importance of leadership and the danger of misinformation.
• View the process of identifying sources.

Getting Started – Players must sit in a circle or stand in a straight line. They need to be close enough that whispering is possible, but not so close that players can hear each other whisper.
Begin the Game -The first person in the line or circle whispers a word or phrase into the ear of the person sitting or standing to their right.
The Game Continues – Players whisper the phrase to their neighbors until it reaches the last player in line.
The Conclusion – The last player says the word or phrase out loud so everyone can hear how much it has changed from the first whisper at the beginning of the circle or line.

• The word or phrase can only be whispered once, so players must pay close attention.
• The word or phrase should never be too familiar; you want to make sure it changes as it is whispered.
• Only one player – the first – should know what the word or phrase is. The facilitator of the game may wish to have the original phrase or word written down.

The main purpose of the Telephone Game is for the amusement of the players. However, there are some additional benefits for those playing the Telephone Game. It:

• • Can help clearly show how small misconceptions can end up making a huge difference.
  • Is fun for the players, generates laughs, and helps a group relax.
  • Can help young children or those learning English develop their active listening skills.
  • Serves as a springboard for discussing the importance of active listening.
  • Can be used for classroom counseling lessons to help children understand the impact of gossip and rumors.

The leader will give examples of misinformation and how it could affect more than just oneself. Often times, unless you get the information directly from the source, odds are the information has changed. This could happen as quickly as the first person not understanding the information being told. Now sometimes, in rare occasions, the need for misinformation is necessary. An example of this is the Battle of Midway. Read the PDF and discuss.

Participants will give examples of how they think you can mitigate the loss of information. What tools are available to us that were not available 30 years ago? What would be the best way to pass the information on?